Has anyone actually sailed with firearms

[John A]

Originally Posted by ProtectTheOcean

John, are you saying that if one arrives in Trinidad with a flare gun on his vessel, that safety device is contraband?

No, I did not.
I said that one had to get a Permit to purchase either a flare gun or the flares while in Trinadad. And I was told that getting a permit from the Police was almost iimpossible.

[osirissail]

Originally Posted by ProtectTheOcean

John, are you saying that if one arrives in Trinidad with a flare gun on his vessel, that safety device is contraband?

That is true - flare guns in Trinidad are "normally" required to be held by customs until you leave. Whether you get them back is debatable. The locals convert them to pistols by using steel inserts.
- - However, the first time I arrived in Trinidad back in 2004, a nice Customs guy wanted to see the boat and when he stepped into the cockpit and saw my SOLAS round flare kit hanging on the wall - he faced away from it and told me to get that thing out of the cockpit and put away down below somewhere. He went on to explain the problem with locals thieving those kits, if they can see them, and converting the flare pistols.
- - You have to declare flares, etc. on the customs forms so I just enter "SOLAS" flares and nobody pays any attention to it.

[ProtectTheOcean]

Okay, a bit of improv here. Should we maybe carry standard flares and some sort of (clay pigeon style) launcher to get a regular flare into the air? Will that work? Seems like that would resolve the problem all the way around (of not being able to keep flares for safety purposes.)

[John A]

I checked into Trinidad for 7 hurrican seasons from 2002 thru 2008, I just declared them and never had my boat boarded.
I had to wait to replace my outdated flares until I was in Granada.

[muskoka]

Originally Posted by ProtectTheOcean

Okay, a bit of improv here. Should we maybe carry standard flares and some sort of (clay pigeon style) launcher to get a regular flare into the air? Will that work? Seems like that would resolve the problem all the way around (of not being able to keep flares for safety purposes.)

Look, you need to research what is considered contraband by the countries you intend to visit. I doubt the authorities will be swayed by CF members "resolving the problem all the way around". In most places standard handheld flares are acknowledged to be essential safety devices on yachts, but flare guns are not nearly as widely accepted.

Firearms are strictly controlled or outright illegal in many countries. In order to comply with local laws you may have to surrender your weapon - or they may view importation as a felony. The point is that this is serious, and you need to be crystal clear on the laws. You really don't want to find out after the fact that your assumptions are wrong.

Look at cannabis: In Canada possession may get you a small fine or suspended sentence. In Singapore possession makes you eligible for the death penalty. Many countries apply absolutely draconian rules when it comes to drugs or firearms.

[ProtectTheOcean]

Uhm, yeah, I get that. Really didn't just fall off the turnip truck last night. So what's wrong with the idea of something spring-loaded that can launch flairs high into the sky? Did you have something specific, like that they don't weigh enough, that the velocity would put the flare out, or were you just reminding us all that different countries have different rules?

Originally Posted by muskoka

Look, you need to research what is considered contraband by the countries you intend to visit. I doubt the authorities will be swayed by CF members "resolving the problem all the way around". In most places standard handheld flares are acknowledged to be essential safety devices on yachts, but flare guns are not nearly as widely accepted.

Firearms are strictly controlled or outright illegal in many countries. In order to comply with local laws you may have to surrender your weapon - or they may view importation as a felony. The point is that this is serious, and you need to be crystal clear on the laws. You really don't want to find out after the fact that your assumptions are wrong.

Look at cannabis: In Canada possession may get you a small fine or suspended sentence. In Singapore possession makes you eligible for the death penalty. Many countries apply absolutely draconian rules when it comes to drugs or firearms.

[osirissail]

Originally Posted by John A

I checked into Trinidad for 7 hurrican seasons from 2002 thru 2008, I just declared them and never had my boat boarded.
I had to wait to replace my outdated flares until I was in Granada.

Quite true in most cases, only once was I "inspected" and the customs guy was polite and "helped" me learn how to avoid problems that might crop up with a less than friendly official. One year "ratty" courtesy flags was the hot item with threatened fines unless you bought a new one. Things rarely ever stay "exactly" the same year after year.
- - But in general, all over the Caribbean very few Customs officials ever really "look" at that form you filled out. They just fill in their part of the form and collect the money. But every blue moon or two you get a "new" one who wants to examine everything in minute detail. This is where you might have hassles you really are not interested in dealing with. So we learn to "play the game" and keep things short and simple.
- - Exotic "solutions" are really not necessary, just learn how to make the officials job simple and quick without pushing the "legal" envelope too far and life is simple and pleasant even if a little tedious.

[muskoka]

Originally Posted by ProtectTheOcean

Uhm, yeah, I get that. Really didn't just fall off the turnip truck last night. So what's wrong with the idea of something spring-loaded that can launch flairs high into the sky? Did you have something specific, like that they don't weigh enough, that the velocity would put the flare out, or were you just reminding us all that different countries have different rules?

The thread is "has anyone actually sailed with firearms?" - not launching flares. Or turnips.

Some suggestions, launch them with surgical cord or bungee run inside a piece of ABS plumbing pipe. They need fins or a drogue attached or they'll just tumble in flight. And no, the velocity won't put the flare out as they're intended for use in extremely high winds with heavy salt spray. Happy now?

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by capn_billl

... The original poster asked for experience regarding international firearm laws ....

firearms-regulations-by-country
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f57/firearms-regulations-by-country-1641.html
➥ http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ntry-1641.html

Getting out of date by now

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Therapy

Which countries do we throw the flare guns overboard before we enter.

Surly cruisers don't cruise without flare guns as they can be required.

UK................
Flares.........

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by boatman61

UK................
Flares.........

Thank you.

I have no experience with hand launched stick flares. It seems to me it could require a lot more attention than pointing a pistol. Is there a delay after activating?

[capngeo]

Enough about flares..... the thread title is

Has anyone actually sailed with firearms

Facts: Good
Opinions:Bad

[boatman61]

Ok Capgeo.... if Power vessels count yes...
Four twin Bofor's, 40 SLR's, 40 Lanchester semi Automatics, 40 Webley pistols, 4 LMG's..... Oh and a twin 4.5 on the bow...
I don't suppose you'd count six Mortar's.....

[svtrio]

The attached link to info about firearms was from an article by Gordo; I don't know the date of publication, but the piece is on topic.

http://www.thecoastalpassage.com/guns_aboard.html

The cruisers forum link below is a lengthly discussion on topic:

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ntry-1641.html

[psneeld]

Originally Posted by Therapy

Thank you.

I have no experience with hand launched stick flares. It seems to me it could require a lot more attention than pointing a pistol. Is there a delay after activating?

Just the opposite...flare guns are known to fail at the most inopportune time...or are dropped overboard. SOLAS self launching flares have a well desreved reputation fof being the standard in safety equipment. That's not to say how foreign officials view certain/all pyrotecnics.

So back to the OP...sailing around the world with guns is no problem...it's the stopping part that gets tricky..

While force majeure could be claimed if forced to enter a country that you did not plan on visiting that was anti-gun...you could still wind up on the short side of justice as many countries could care less...even New jersey and guns aren't "Perfect Together" as the state advertising slogan goes.